CSUSM MIGHT REMOVE NAME OF BENEFACTOR
Building named for late legislator Craven; remarks on immigrants at issue
California State University San Marcos is considering removing the name of one of its biggest benefactors from a campus building, road and traffic circle due to controversial remarks he made nearly 30 years ago about immigrants.
In a move that reflects change occurring many of the nation’s campuses, the CSUSM Academic
Senate voted 56-2-2 last week to remove the references to the late William Craven, a moderate Republican who served North County in many capacities, including as a member of the state Senate.
The faculty also is seeking to remove of a bust of Craven that is located on campus.
CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt says she will appoint a group to examine Craven’s legacy, which includes the pivotal role he played in convincing the California State University system to establish a campus in San Marcos in 1989.
The group will ensure “that many voices can be heard from our campus and external community,” said Margaret Chantung, school’s communication’s chief.
“Consultation is taking place now on the overall charge of the group and their timeline for moving forward, but that should be firmed up by the end of the semester, which is quickly approaching.
Craven was well known in the state Assembly and, later, state Senate, for bipartisanship. He supported Democrats on issues ranging from the Equal Rights Amendthe
ment to Proposition 13. That helped him build the influence he needed to help create Cal State San Marcos.
But Craven upset many people during a 1993 Senate hearing when he referred to undocumented workers as “perhaps on the low scale of humanity, for one reason or another.” He later said he was referring to the “lower rung of humanity, economically speaking.”
He caused more controversy the following year when he said it might be possible to pressure employers not to hire undocumented immigrants by issuing ID cards to citizens of Latino ancestry. The Union-Tribune reported that Craven thought the process might be “clumsy” and “demeaning” but he didn’t know of an alternative.
In 1994, activists tried and failed to get CSU trustees to remove his name from campus memorials.
Craven died of congestive heart failure in 1999.
It has become fairly common over the past two years for colleges and universities to remove the names of people who have made controversial remarks. The schools include the University of California Berkeley, which last year renamed three buildings because their namesakes had made racist statements.
Staff writer Jeff McDonald contributed to this report.
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